Isolation
by LadyPhenyx
Summary: Jack's been alone a long, long time.


Jack perched on the edge of the parapet, his staff held upright at his side.

He gazed down over the people below, but didn't fly down. He just wasn't in the mood for mischief today.

How long? How long had it been since he'd seen another spirit, spoken with someone that spoke back?

Spirits were getting rarer and rarer. There just...people didn't _believe_ like they did, once. It took a powerful spirit to exist without belief, without getting power from something. No need to create a spirit when there was an explanation for things, after all.

It didn't mean there weren't any other spirits out there, or even that new ones weren't created now and again, but...they were weak, their believers few if any (like Jack, who wasn't weak but had no believers), quick to flash into existence and fade out again, or they were focused on their jobs and had no time to talk with a Winter Spirit.

As for humans...Jack had been walked through one time too many to try that again any time soon. He was going to lose his pranking edge, it was far too easy to prank someone who could neither see nor hear him. It was dangerous for the trickster spirits to be in one place for long, so it had been years since Jack had seen any of them.

Jack was just...so tired.

He'd get...well, not over it, but be back to normal, he supposed, in a few days. He hoped.

It was just...there was no end in sight.

The little tooth fairies tried to talk to him when their paths crossed, but they were busy, like everyone else, and they had to rush with their precious burdens. There were enough things out there that had no respect for them, would try to interfere, Jack wasn't going to stop them.

If anything, he was going to help them. They were kind to him when they could stop, even if they had no idea just how much that kindness meant.

Someday, Jack vowed, looking up at the moon. Someday, he'd figure it out. Someday, he'd find spirits that cared about him, and weren't trying to use him.

He couldn't stop believing that, or he may as well let his heart freeze now.

-XXX-

It wasn't the first time Jack felt himself brought low, and it wouldn't be the last. Isolation would do that to a person, even one as naturally cheerful as Jack. And it would be so easy to let bitterness take root, to become as cold as the other Winter spirits.

It took a good deal of effort to keep the bitterness to a minimum.

-XXX-

Jack felt as if his heart were overflowing as they rode away on North's sleigh, Pitch defeated and himself inducted as a Guardian.

Maybe it wouldn't last. Maybe he was wrong to be this hopeful. Maybe they would all forget soon enough, and get caught up in their own things again.

But maybe...they wouldn't.

-XXX-

Jack perched on the back of a chair, out of the way, and watched jealously as the other Guardians surrounded the newly-returned Katherine and Nightlight.

He was happy they were home! Really, he was!

But...what need did they have of Jack Frost, now? When their original white-haired, pale trickster with a staff had returned?

And they had in-jokes, references, things Jack could never know or be part of.

He wasn't sure he could go back to how things had been, before becoming a Guardian.

But right now, he felt as alone as he had crouching on top of a building, watching the people down below.

Suddenly there was a hand on his knee, and Jack jerked.

Katherine stood below, looking up at him with a wince. "Sorry. I thought you heard me coming," she said, her gentle, storyteller's voice soft.

Jack dug up a smile, sliding off the back of the chair to stand by Katherine.

She smiled, an honest smile that lit up her heart shaped face and made her go from pretty to beautiful, and took Jack's hand. "I've been looking forward to meeting you," she said, bouncing in place. "Thanks for giving us a minute. Now, I want to hear everything, and I want to tell you everything, too."

She paused, tilting her head, Nightlight coming up behind her. His smile was shyer, more hopeful, than the one Katherine was giving Jack.

Katherine slid her arms around the startled Jack, hugging him tight. "Oh, I'm so glad you're here," she said. Slowly Jack raised his arms to return the hug, watching as Nightlight's smile brightened.

"...me too," Jack said softly. "Me too."


End file.
